3beta-hydroxy delta6, 8 (14) steroids and process of preparation of the same



United States Patent O sp-HYDRoxY m srnnoins AND PROCESS OF PREPARATION OF THE SAME Gerald D. Lauhach, Jackson Heights, and Karl J. Brunv ings, Malba, J. Y., assignors to Chas. Pfizer & Co., 'Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application March 17, 1954 Serial No. 416,935

Claims. (Cl. 260-3?7.2)

of therapeutic agents naturallyderived from the adrenal.

cortex and like animal glands and tissues. This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 222,946, now abandoned, filed on April 25, 1951 by Gerald D. Laubach et a1. 7

Several of the steroid-type constituents and derivatives of the adrenal cortex have been shown to be of considerable importance in the control of physiological functions and in the therapy of certain diseases. It is highly important that synthesis of such compounds from cheap, readily available materials be developed, since the supply of natural precursors, e; g. extracts of animal glands; is definitely limited. The most diflicult problem in'such a tion is essential for the high biological activityof such naturally derived compounds as cortisone and compound F. A number of difierent methods have been proposed for this oxygen introduction. These have been briefly reviewed :by Kendall in the Annals of the New York Academy of Science, vol. 50, p. 541-542 .(1949). Many involve a number of steps and the overall yields are relatively low. Other methods have been proposed that require the use of corrosive or highly toxic chemicals, and in many cases purification of the products may be difiicult. Furthermore, the best of these methods are not readily applicable to those steroids which are most widely available, such as the vegetable steroids.

A particular object of this invention is to rearrange the internal molecular structure of certain poly-unsaturated steroids, which are easily and cheaply obtained from vegetable sources, in such a manner as to implement the ready and convenient introduction of oxygen at the eleventh carbon atom of the nucleus. A' general object is the obtainment of new and valuable steroid-type products byisomerization of naturally occurring steroid compounds.

' single ring of the steroid nucleus.

2,838,527 Patented June 10, 1958 These and other objects are realized by the present process which broadly comprises heating in the presence of sulfur dioxide a steroid compound having conjugated double bonds within its cyclic structure. Surprisingly and for reasons unknown, sulfur dioxide is a highly effective isomerizing agent specifically for cyclic steroid compounds containing at least two homoannular double bonds in conjugation, that is, two conjugated double bonds in a Heating such a compound with SO rearranges these double bonds, and an isomer results which can be readily recovered.

Preferred embodiments of this invention consist of thus isomerizing certain cyclic diene or triene steroid compounds, for example 5,7-diene or 5, 7,9(11)-triene sterols, sterol ethers and sterol esters. The new reaction has been applied for example to dehydroergosterol, its ethers and its esters. Thus, dehydroergosteryl acetate has been isomerized to produce a wholly new compound, identified as isodehydroergosteryl acetate (ergosta-6,8(14), 9(11), 22-tetraen-3 fl-yl acetate). Isomers thus derived from a 5,7,9(11)-,triene type of steroid are generally of the 6,8(14), 9(11)-triene type and may be described as con- 'taining the radical OH: I

The new isomerization reaction has also been applied to 5,7-diene steroids, for example ergosterol and its esters like ergosteryl acetate, with comparable results, producing 6,8(14)-diene isomers generally containing the radical C CH:

such as the known compound isoergosteryl acetate (ergosteryl B acetate).

A few specific reactions and products of this process are indicated below.

Acetate (3H, (1H, HsC-CH?|JH (IJEF-CH: HaC-CH-JKH CH-OHa H50 CH-CH-CHa mg i oH-cE-cm H30 1 H3O I OHaOO O CHzCO O Dehydroergosteryl Isodehydroergosteryl Acetate Acetate ([311: (RH: HaC-CH-CH UHF-CH; H3CCHCH (EH-CH: CH-CH-CH; X H-eH-om l I 1 HO HO Ergosterol Isoergosterol CH CH CH; CH:

(1H3 (13H: CHa 0:0 0:0 CH3 CH3 A00 AcO- Such steroid peroxides may be converted directly to the A6.1.9(11).pregnatflen-Bfl-acetoxy. mmo.a 11). 11 .3g. corresponding ll-keto steroid compounds by the relaaceioxy-zo-one -tively simple procedure described in copending applica- CH; CH3 tionSerial No. 368,199, new U. S. Patent No. 2,773,885 CHQOOH; CHiOOHa filedon July 15, 1953 by Gerald D. Laubach et al. This 5:0 procedure comprises contacting the peroxide with alkali. The result is illustrated by the following equation:

CH3 7 CH3 l CH3 V o\ l p H 0 CH3 omo cmoi 1 .OH A6, 1. 0(11Lpregm1trl8l1-3fl, 21- A 0 -allopregnatrlen-Iifl, 21-

dimethoxy-ZO-one dimethoxy-20-one l In some cases some of the starting material remains mixed with the product. The two may be separated by forming a Diels-Alder adduct of the starting material, for

example with maleic anhydride.

For some unknown reason the starting material undergoes this reaction in mediates.

Such oxidation reactions are described in '00"- pending application, Serial No. 224,676, now abandoned, filed May 4, 1951 by Gerald D. Laubach- The reaction therein described is a photoperoxidation of steroids inabove.

cluding those of the type obtained by the process described Some examples are as follows:

CH5 OH:

p This same application also describes a process for removal of the l4-OH group by-acid dehydration, as follows:

7 on, CH3

Compounds of the type obtained by this reaction may then be subjected to' selective hydrogenation according to the process described in application Serial No. 317,576, now U. S. Patent No. 2,740,797 filed on October 29, [1952 by Gerald D. Laubach et al. This process involves contacting the steroid with hydrogen in the presence of -W-7 Raney nickel and an alkaline material. By this 7 method both the 6 and .14 double bonds maybe saturated, while neither the double bond at the 8 position, nor double bonds which may be present in a side chain such as that of the ergosterol derivatives,are changed. The following equation illustrates this.

CHa

AcO- j This last compound shown, .A -ergostadien 3,8 ol 11- one acetate, is a well known intermediate for the preparation of cortisone. Many of the other products of this present invention are also extremely valuable for this purpose, especially those which already contain at the 17 position a side chain similar to that of cortisone.

Isolated double bonds not within the cyclic structure of the steroid generally have no deleterious effect on isomerization with S0 Thus, the side chains attached to the ergosterol or dehydroergosterol-type steroid nucleus at the 17-position or the 3-position may be considerably varied without interfering with the reaction. Rather than the unsaturated aliphatic side chain at C17 of the ergosterol structure, a compound may be utilized having a carboxyl, an acetyl, a saturated alkyl group, an oxygen (i. e. the 17-keto compound), a residual chain such as is obtained by oxidation at the 22-double bond, or the like attached at that point. Hydroxyl or other groups, ether and ester radicals other than the acetate, for instance the propionate or benzoate, may also be substituted at the 3 position. However, ergosteryl and dehydroergosteryl acetates are preferred by reason of availability, cost, ease of commercial operation and value of the isomeric products. Dehydroergosteryl acetate may be prepared by several known methods, such as mercury-salt dehydrogenation of the readily available ergosteryl acetate. Insofar as can be ascertained, the present invention represents the first use of sulfur dioxide as an isomerizing agent with a steroid compound. It is most unexpected that sulfur dioxide should behave in this manner with steroids, since it commonly adds to double bonds and especially to conjugated double bonds. S0 is particularly desirable as an isomerizing agent, since it is very cheap, readily available, and can be removed from reaction mixtures with ease because of its high volatility.

With sulfur dioxide for the isomerization of steroid nuclei, it has been found desirable to employ an elevated temperature. In general, a range of substantially between 75 and 200 C. may be used, while temperatures of about 100 to 125 C. are generally most effective. In order to prevent volatilization of the reagent, the reaction is carried out in a sealed vessel, which may be of glass or any other stable material. It is preferable to add a polymerization inhibitor to the reaction mixture to prevent free radical-type polymerization of the reactant or of the reaction product with sulfur dioxide. For this purpose a compound such as hydroquinone, t-butylcatechol, or any of the other well-known polymerization inhibitors of this type may be used.

It has also been discovered that while double bond rearrangements will take place with S0 alone, in order that rearrangement to the 8(14) and 9(11) positions take places with a high degree of selectivity, a moderately strong, nitrogenous organic base should be employed. Compounds such as pyridine, dimethylamine and quinoline are included in this class. The base serves to combine with sulfurous acid which may be formed from S0 and any moisture present. Thus, one may use any organic base capable of forming a reasonably stable salt with sulfurous acid under the conditions of the present process.

Although not essential, it is convenient to run the reaction in an organic solvent system, for instance in aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene or toluene, petroleum fractions such as hexane, or saturated cyclic compounds like cyclohexane. of dissolving an appreciable amount of the reactant, at least in the presence of sulfur dioxide and at the elevated temperature of this reaction.

The proportions of all of these materials may be varied considerably. In commercial operation a fairly concentrated solution of the steroid in the chosen solvent (at least about 10 percent by weight for greatest economy) is mixed with an organic base, which is used in a proportion of at least about 0.1 mole, and preferably several moles, per mole of steroid. About 1 to 10 percent of the stabilizing agent or polymerization inhibitor, based on the weight of steroid, and at least about 0.1 or desirably several moles (up to say of sulfur dioxide per mole of steroid are introduced. Since sulfur dioxide is so volatile, the mixture is generally well cooled before sealing in the reaction tube. The temperature is then gradually raised and, for best results, maintained at thev chosen level for at least about four hours and not more than thirty hours in order that the reaction may be brought to completion.

The isomerized product of the reaction may be isolated from the mixture in good yield, often over 60 percent. If more highly purified material is desired, it may readily be prepared, although perhaps with a slight decrease in yield. The procedure for the recovery of the new compounds need not be complex, and essentially any desired means may be chosen. According to a particularly efficient method, the cooled mixture is simply removed from the sealed vessel and concentrated to dryness, preferably under vacuum. The solid so obtained is washed with a volatile solvent in which the isomeric steroid has Melting point l49-l51 C. (corn) [a] =93.8 (C=2.0l in chloroform) loge at 232.5 mu=4.25 (ether) IOge at 287.5 m =3.82 (ether) Analysi.s '.--Calcd. for C H O C, 82.52; H, 10.16.

Found: C, 82.37; H, 10.26.

Hydrogenation of it at low pressure with platinum oxide catalyst and in ethyl acetate-chloroform (10-1) mixture causes the rapid uptake of 3 moles of hydrogen.

The derivative so obtained has a melting point of .l09.81l0.5 C. and [a] =+4 (C=1.01 in chloroform); it is identical with ergosta-8(14)-en-3-13-yl acetate prepared by hydrogenation of ergosteryl acetate. The new isomeric compound also forms a maleic anhydride adduct upon refluxing with the reagent for 18 hours in benzene) This derivative melts at 176l79 C. and has a peak in its ultraviolet absorption spectra as follows:

When ergosteryl acetate is subjected to the isomerization reaction, there is produced in good yield ergosta-6,

In general, the solvent should be capable 2,838,527" :7 '8 8(14),2 2-triene-3-p-yl acetate, or isoergosteryl acetate. EXAMPLE II The purified compound gives these testing results: The procedure of Example I was repeated using Various Melting point 119.0-120.6 (corn) ester and ether groups in the 3 position instead of the [a] -=-96.20 (C=2.03 in chloroform) r acetate group present in Example I. The groups used loge at 252.5 m =4.36 (chloroform) included, for example, formate, propionate and benzoate Amlysl-s' calcdl for C30H46O2: C, 82.14; H: 1051 among the esters, and methyl, ethyl and benzyl among the "eth'ers. The reaction was also carried out with the 3-OH Found: C, 82.34; H, 10.79. h

It has been hydrolyzed to yield the corresponding alcogroup unplotected None of these Changes m t 6 group at the 3 position had any eifect in the overall reaction, ggi i g gg i gg g i ig g gg ifigigff g 1331 10 and the double bond rearrangement took place in exactly lilii some manner as before. constants: y g v H Melting point 123.04.24.0" (corn) EXAMPLE I [u] =101;3 ('C=l.99 in chloroform) Isoergosteryl acetate The following examples are given by way of illustra- A A SOlUtiOn 0f g s of el'gostefyl acfitate in 1111- tion and are not intended as a limitation of this invention. 0f n and 5 mlf pyridine Containing 200 mg. of Indeed, as many apparently widely different embodiments hydmquinolle Was Coolfid Anhydl'ous llquid of the present invention may be made without departing sulfur dioxide (20 ml.) was addedto the mixture. The from the spirit and'scope hereof, it is to be understood 20 leaciifin 165561 Was sealedfind heated at for that the invention is limited as defined in the appended S- The reaction Vessel Was then Cooled and p claims only. The mixture Was concentrated at reduced pressure to a EXAMPLE I mass of yellow platelets. The crystals were triturated with several small portions of methanol. The product Isodehydroergosteryl acetate so obtained was of high purity and weighed 2.82 grams,

To a solution of 4.1 grams (0.0094 mole) of dehydroa yield of 70%. It had a melting point of 115.5 to ergosteryl acetate in 20 ml. of dry benzene was added 117.0 C. Recrystallization from chloroform-methanol 200 mg. of hydroquinone in 5 ml. of anhydrous pyridine. and then from ethyl acetate-methanol gave the pure prod- The homogeneous mixture was cooled to 78 C. and not, the physical constants and analyses of which were 20 ml. of anhydrous liquid sulfur dioxide was added. 9 hereinbefore discussed. The reaction vessel was sealed and then heated to 100 C. The equation for the reaction of this example is as for 16 /2 hours. Concentration of the deep red reaction follows:

CH 0H. CH3 CH3 i I AcO- o mixture under vacuum, followed by trituration of the EXAMPLE IV residue with methanol, yielded 3.01 grams (73.4%) of product as nearly colorless. platelets, melting point 142146 C. After recrystallization from chloroformmethanol, then ethyl acetate-methanol, the melting point was 147-150 The product had an optical rotation of [oL] =74.l (C, 2.01 in chloroform). An analytically pure sample was obtained by repeated recrystallization from the same solvent combinations, melting point 149-151" C., [cs] =-93.S (C, 2.01 in chloroform).

It should be noted that the crude product was itself quite high in purity. Optical rotation is greatly changed The procedure of Example III was repeated using various'ester and-ether groups in the 3 position instead of the acetate group present in Example III. The groups used included, for example,. formate, propionate and benzoate among theesters, and methyl, ethyl and benzyl among the others. The reaction was also carried out with the 3-OH group unprotected. None of these changes in the group at'the 3 position had any effect in the overall reaction, and the double bond rearrangement took place in exactly the same manner as before.

by small amounts of the unreacted starting material, since EXAMPLE V the latter has an optical rotation of about [a] =+ZOO. fltacewxyW9'9"-all0pregnatriew20wne In many cases the crude product is suitable for use di- The method of Example I was applied to 3,8-acetoxyrectly as raw material for further reactions. A 1 (ll) a gi -g() Thi treatment ith 0 t The equation for the reaction of this example is as for 16 hours led to the-formation of the previously follows: unknown compound 3fi-acetoxy-A -allopregnatrieri20 one.' The e uation fbr'thisreabnon is as 1 EXAMPLE vnr follows: 7 The procedure of Example VII was repeated: using various ester and ether groups in the 3 position instead of the acetate group present in Example VII. The groups c= 0:0 5 used included, for example, formate, propionate and CH; benzoate among the esters, and methyl, ethyl and benzyl among the ethers. The reaction was also carried out with the 3-OH group unprotected. None of these changes in thegroup at the 3 position had any effect in the overall reaction, and the double bond rearrangement took- I place in exactly the same manner as before. V EXAM'PLE'IX V Thisfproduct may 'readilygbe separated from any un- I The method of Example I was-applied to 3fi,21-direacted starting material by means of a Diels-Alder type acetateA -pregnatrien-ZO-one. In a manner similar reaction, e. g. refluxing with excess maleic auhydride in to that described above, the product 3,3,21-diacetatebenzene solution. The starting materialqua'ntitati-vely A :allopregnatriene-ZO-one was formed. The undergoes condensation with the maleic anhydride, while equation for the reaction of this example is as follows;

COCH OAc cocmonc CH3 l p AcO ace the product remains unaifected. The desired product can EXAMPLE X then be readily separated by chromatography on Florisil. Using this technique, a sample of the product was prepared. The compound had the following physical properties:

The procedure of Example IX was repeated using various ester and ether groups in the 3 and 21 positions instead ofthe'acetate groups present in Example IX.. The a. groups used included for example, formate, propionate Meltmg Pomt '4 l and benzoateamong the esters, and methyl, ethyl and 231;1712q0;285=7950 benzyl among the ethers. The reaction may also be ['11]? (CHC13) carried out with the 3 and 21OH groups unprotected.

Additional Purification y changa these Properties None of these changes in the groups at the 3 and 21 poslightly. sitions had any effect in the overall reaction, and all the I VI v 1 double bond rearrangements took place in exactly the The procedureof Example' V was repeated using 40 same manner as before.

various ester and ether groups in the 3 position instead of the acetate group present in Example The groups EXAMPLE XI used included, for example, formate, propionate and The method of Example I was applied to 3B,21-dibenzoate arnong the esters, anclmethyl, ethyl and benzyl acetate-A -pregnadien-ZO-one; In a manner similar to amongtheethers. The reaction was also carried out with that described above, the product 35,21-diacetatethe 3-OH group unprotected. None of these changes in A -allopregnadien-2O-0ne was formed. The equathe group at the3 position had any effect in the overall tion for the reaction of this example is as follows:

8 CH: Q h CH3 COCHzOAe COCHzOAc CHa f CH3 reaction, and the double bond rearrangement took place EXAMPLE X11 in exactly the same manner as before.

EXAMPLE VII The procedure of Example XI was repeated using various ester and ether groups in the 3 and 21 positions instead of the acetate groups present in Example XI. The groups used included, for example, formate, propionate and benzoate among the esters, and methyl, ethyl and benzyl among the ethers. The reaction may also be The method of Example I was applied to 3fi-acetoxy- A -pregnadien-20-one. In a manner similar to that described above, the product 35-acetoxy-A -allopregnadien-20-one was formed. The equation for the reac- 65 tion of this ft is as follows: carried out with the 3 and 21-OH groups unprotected. H None of these changes in the groups at the 3 and 21 poem 000E 00C sitions had any effect in the overall reaction, and all the double bondrearrangem-ents took place in exactly the same manner as before.

What is claimed is: 1. A process which comprises heating in-the presence of sulfur dioxide, a polymerization inhibitor and an organic base, a steroid compond selected from the class Mo 76 consisting of 5(6), 7(8)-diene and 5(6), 7(8), 9(1 1)- triene steroids substituted in the B- and C-rings only by a 8. A steroid compound; chosen from the group consist 10-met-hy1 and a 13-methyl group, and recovering the ingof resulting isomer of said compound, p CH3 2. 'A process for preparing a steroid compoundwhich has double bonds at the 6 and 8( 14) positions, which 5 process comprises heating with sulfur dioxide and an 7 CH5 organic base in the presence of a polymerization inhibitor a 5 (6), 7( 8)-diene steroid substituted in the B- and C-rings only by a IO-methyl and a l3-methyl group. CH3

3. A process for preparing a steroid compound which 10 has double bonds at the 6,8( 14) and 9(11) positions,

which process comprises heating with sulfur dioxide and an organic base in the presence of .a polymerization inhibitor a 5(6), 7(8), 9(11)-triene steroid substituted in the B- and C-rings only by a lO-methyl and a 13-methyl 15 and the S-hydrocarbon carboxylic acid esters thereof.

9. A steroid compound chosen from the group congroup' sisting of 4. A process which comprises heating with sulfur dloxide and an organic base in the presence of a polymeri- CH3 zation inhibitor a compound selected from the class con- CH5 OOCH sisting of ergosterol and its esters and ethers, and recovering the resulting isoergosteryl compound.

5. A process which comprises heating with sulfur dioxide and an organic base in the presence of a polymerization inhibitor a compound selected from the class consisting of dehydroergosterol and its esters and ethers, and recovering the resulting isodehydroergosteryl compound.

6. A process which comprises heating together in a closed system at a temperature substantially between 75 andthe 3'hydmcarbon carboxyhc acld esters thereof' and 200" C., an organic solvent, a steroid compound se- A Sterold compound chosen from the group lected from the class consisting of 5(6), 7(8)-diene and Slstmg of 5 (6), 7(8), .9(11)-triene steroids substituted in the B- CH3 and C-rings only by a IO-methyl and a 13-methyl group, COCHzOH I at least a one-tenth molar proportion of sulfur dioxide, CH3 at least a one-tenth molar proportion of an organic base, r and from 1% to 10% by Weight of said steroid compound 30 i of a polymerization inhibitor, and recovering the isomer of said steroid compound thereby produced.

7. A steroid compound having the formula HO-- 40 and the 3-hydrocarbon carboxylic acid esters thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,436,195 Callan Feb. 17, 1948 2,593,248 Bernstein Apr. 15, 1952 R I OTHER REFERENCES l where R is selected from the class consisting of hydroxyl, Windaus: Annalen 534, 22-41 (1938); 552, 142-152 and hydrocarbon carboxylic acid ester groups, and R is (1942). selected from the class consisting of COCH Laubach et al.: Jour. Am. Chem. Soc. 75, 1514-15 COCH OH and the hydrocarbon carboxylic acid esters (1953). thereof, and Fieser et al.: Natural Products Related to Phenan- CH3 threne, 3rd ed., pp. 230-33, 365-6 (1949).

i i H3CCHCH GEL-CH:

CH-CH-CH: 

1. A PROCESS WHICH COMPRISES HEATING IN THE PRESENCE OF SULFUR DIOXIDE, A POLYMERIZATION INHIBITOR AND AN ORGANIC BASE, A STEROID COMPOND SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF 5(6), 7(8)-DIENE AND 5(6), 7(8), 9(11)TRIENE STEROIDS SUBSTITUTED IN B-AND C-RINGS ONLY BY A 10-METHYL AND A 13-METHYL GROUP, AND RECOVERING THE RESULTING ISOMER OF SAID COMPOUND.
 7. A STEROID COMPOUND HAVING THE FORMULA 